Current and Future Operations and Transitions

Philip M. KenulTriVector Services

19 May 2017

Dangerous, Dirty, Dull, DeniedEfficient, Effective, Economical and Environmentally Friendly

19 May 2017

NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program

NOAA: America’s Environmental Intelligence

Agency: 2014 - 2018 Priorities

2

OBSERVATIONS

MONITORING

ASSESSMENT

MODELING

FORECAST &PRODUCTS

Provide information and services to make communities more resilient

Evolve the Weather Service

Invest in observational infrastructure

Achieve organizational excellence

Support

Missions for UAS

• Goal to evaluate utility of UAS for NOAA operations and research

• Three focus areas• High-impact weather• Marine monitoring• Polar research

• End State: Transition to Operations

NASA Global HawkSensing Hazards with Operational Unmanned Technology (SHOUT)

• NOAA Flight Level: ~ 55-63,000 ft• Duration: ~26 hr• Range: 11,000 nm• Payload: 1,500+ lbs• Deployment Sites:

• NASA Wallops Flight Facility(Wallops Island, VA)

• NASA Armstrong Flight ResearchCenter (Edwards AFB)

• Payloads-over 30 approved• Dropsondes – in situ vertical temperature,

moisture, winds• Remote Sensors – vertical temperature,

moisture, winds• Remote Sensors – ocean surface wind speed

and cloud structures

GRAV-D Project Redefinition of Vertical Datum

Support a New Vertical Datum

Multi-payload Capability: Bathymetry, LiDAR, Hyperspectral, Gravity, EO/IR, SAR ++

3 Modes of operation: Manned, Unmanned, Augmented (UAS ops in NAS)

• DA-42MPP Aircraft from Diamond Aviation Centaur OPA• With Aurora Designed Conversion Kit to Enable OPA Capability

Up to 800lbs useful load

Up to 16 hours unmanned(payload dependent)

Project Challenges

• Operational– Long, boring flights-Dull– Large area to cover with

some long distances (Aleutians, Pacific Islands)

– Aircraft stability critical for good data

• Management– Efficiently covering the

entire country in terms of cost and time

• First operation gravity survey on a UAS

6

sUAS Marine Monitoring

• Living Marine Resources• Coast Mapping• Ice Detection and mapping• Oil Spill Response• Marine Debris• Ecosystem/Habitat Assessment• Sea and Air Quality Studies (Norway)• Arctic, Antarctic, US Coastal Waters

Comparative body condition

UAS SNOT-BOT

Arctic Shield ISR MissionsOil Spill & SAR

USCG/NOAA/Industry PartnershipSea ice ridge detection/monitoringMarine and marine mammal monitoringUsefulness in search and rescue scenariosDetection and monitoring of oil spilled from shipDetection and monitoring of marine debris from ship

GLOBAL ARCHER 2018Arctic Domain Awareness

Ice Mapping/Arctic Weather

Recent Focus Areas

• Emergency Response (Oil spill/Storm Damage Assessment)• Operating BVLOS• Integration with manned aviation in controlled environments• Polar Operations• Supporting development of new capabilities through partnerships and

CRADAS:– High-resolution sensor – Autonomous recovery system– Ice sensing and deicing

• Data products and dissemination • Collaborating with industry and other agencies to share knowledge and

experience• Use of Autonomy to Reduce Costs and Increase Mission Effectiveness

13

Unmanned? GHOC at WFF Fully Staffed During a Hurricane

NOAA Contact Information

NOAA UAS Web Site: http://uas.noaa.gov/

Questions should be directed to:

Robbie Hood - NOAA UAS Program DirectorNOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research(robbie.hood@noaa.gov / 301-734-1102)

Philip M. Kenul– NOAA UAS Program NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research(philip.m.kenul@noaa.gov / 301- 346-5939)